The Candy Cane
Did you know that approximately 2 billion candy canes will be sold in the four weeks before Christmas and Hanukkah? That's a lot of canes! The candy cane's origin dates back to the late 1600's and The Cologne Cathedral in Köln, Germany (official name Hohe Domkirche St. Peter und Maria). Part of the Christmas celebration at the Cologne Cathedral were pagents of living creches. In about 1670 the choirmaster there had sticks of candy bent into the shape of a shepherd's crook and passed them out to children who attended the ceremonies. This became a popular tradition, and eventually the practice of passing out the sugar canes at living creche ceremonies spread throughout Europe.The use of candy canes on Christmas trees made its way to America by the 1800's, however during this time they were still pure white. They are represented this way on Christmas cards made before 1900, and it is not until the early 20th century that they appear with their familiar red stripes.
Many people have given religious meaning to the shape and form of the candy cane. It is said that its shape is like the letter "J" in Jesus' name. It is also in the shape of the shepherds' crook, symbolic of how Jesus, like the "Good Shepherd" watches over his children like little lambs. It is a hard candy, solid like a "rock", the foundation of the Church. The flavor of peppermint is similar to another member of the mint family, hyssop. In the Old Testament hyssop was used for purification and sacrifice, and this is said to symbolize the purity of Jesus and the sacrifice he made.
Some say the white of the candy cane represents the purity of Jesus and his virgin birth. The bold red stripe represents God's love. The three fine stripes are said by some to represent the Holy Trinity: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Others say they represent the blood spilled at the beating Jesus received at the hands of the Roman soldiers.
From its plain early beginnings to its familiar shape and color of today, the candy cane is a symbol of Christmas and a reminder of the meaning of the holiday.
posted by TheWino @ 9:27 AM
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